Adjustable sliding-shelf assemblies and method of adjusting the same

ABSTRACT

An adjustable sliding-shelf assembly for high quality wood furniture. The adjustable shelf system includes at least four columns positioned in a vertical direction and attached to the inside of the cabinet, each column defining at least one column-notch. The adjustable shelf system further includes at least two support members, each support member having two ends, each end having at least one protrusion configured to removably engage, by horizontal movement, at least one column-notch. A shelf is positioned adjacent to the at least two support members. The adjustable shelf system further includes at least two slider assemblies configured to horizontally slide the at least one shelf into and out of the cabinet, each drawer slide assembly attached to one of the at least two support members and one side of the shelf.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention generally relates to adjustable shelf assembliesand method of adjusting the same, and more particularly to adjustablesliding-shelf assemblies for high quality wood furniture, such ascabinets, desks, and entertainment centers.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Metal shelf assemblies having wood shelves are well known in theart. These metal shelf assemblies are typically used with wood furnitureto provide adjustable shelves. These types of adjustable shelfassemblies include vertical supports, shelf support brackets, andshelves. Metal shelf assemblies may be permanently attached to woodfurniture cabinets by securing the vertical supports to the left andright interior sides of the cabinet. The vertical supports, made from ametallic material, have a plurality of slots spaced along its length.The shelf support brackets, also generally made from a metallicmaterial, have hooks that engage the plurality of slots on the verticalsupports at horizontally parallel locations. Each shelf is supported bythe shelf support brackets. Multiple shelves may be installed on thevertical supports and may be vertically adjusted by repositioning theassociated shelf support brackets. These metal shelf assemblies allowthe wood shelves to be adjusted from one fixed position to another fixedposition but do not provide slide-out or pull-out shelves.Alternatively, a drawer slide assembly may be permanently fixed to theleft and right interior of the wood furniture cabinet and to the sidesof the shelves to allow the shelves to move horizontally in an inwardand outward direction; however, they can not be adjusted verticallywithout disassembling and reassembling the drawer slide assembly. Oncedisassembled, the prior level screw holes in the wood furniture cabinetmust be repaired.

[0005] Using metal shelf assemblies with wood furniture cabinets,however, is undesirable because the metal vertical supports do notaesthetically match the wood furniture cabinets. In addition, the metalshelf assemblies do not provide adjustable sliding-shelf assemblies.Therefore, it should be appreciated that there is a need for adjustablesliding-shelf assemblies that satisfy the adjustability sliding needsand the aesthetic demands of consumers purchasing fine quality woodfurniture cabinets. The present invention fulfills this need as well asothers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention is embodied in an adjustable sliding-shelfassembly for high quality wood furniture that avoids the use of certainunsightly metal components. More particularly, the adjustable shelfassembly includes at least four columns positioned in a verticaldirection and attached to the inside of the cabinet, each columndefining at least one column-notch. Each column is configured withsufficient column-notches so that the adjustable sliding-shelf assemblycan accommodate more than one shelf. The adjustable shelf assemblyfurther includes at least two horizontal support members, each supportmember having two ends, each end having at least one protrusionconfigured to removably engage, by horizontal movement, at least onecolumn-notch. In addition, the adjustable shelf assembly includes ashelf positioned adjacent to at least two horizontal support members.The shelf is mounted on the horizontal support members in a either afixed or slidable fashion depending on whether a shelf support isincorporated with the support members. The shelf support might be aledge, dowels, or a drawer slide assembly. In one embodiment, a typicaldrawer slide assembly is attached to the horizontal support members. Thedrawer slide assembly is configured to horizontally slide at least oneshelf into and out of the cabinet. The drawer slide assembly is attachedto two support members and each side of the shelf.

[0007] A shelf in the adjustable shelf assembly may be verticallyadjusted by the user via a series of steps without the use of any tools.The method includes dismounting the shelf from a first and secondsupport member, moving the first support member in only a horizontaldirection to disengage a protrusion on the first support member from acorresponding column-notch defined by a first vertical column,relocating the first support member to a desired different level alongthe first vertical column by engaging the protrusion on the firstsupport member with the corresponding column-notch, at the desiredlevel, of the first vertical column, moving the second support member inonly a horizontal direction to disengage a protrusion on the secondsupport member from a corresponding column-notch defined by a secondvertical column, and relocating the second support member to a desireddifferent level along the second vertical column by engaging theprotrusion on the second support member with the correspondingcolumn-notch, at the desired level, of the second vertical column. Theshelf is mounted on the first and second support members, which locksthe protrusions into the column-notches.

[0008] Advantages of the present invention include providing the userwith adjustable pull-out shelves that can be adjusted to variousvertical positions in a wood furniture cabinet to accommodate the user'sneeds (e.g., different size printers, different size stereo components,or computer monitors). In addition, the adjustable sliding-shelfassembly is provided without requiring uninstalling, redrilling,leveling, and reinstalling the drawer slide assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable sliding-shelfassembly;

[0010]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the columns and the supportmembers of the adjustable sliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the column of the adjustablesliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1;

[0012]FIG. 4 is a right side plan view of the column of the adjustablesliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support member of theadjustable sliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the support member of the adjustablesliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of the support member having adrawer slide assembly attached thereto;

[0016]FIG. 8 is a simplified flow chart describing a method of adjustingthe adjustable sliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1; and

[0017]FIG. 9 is a simplified flow chart describing a method of adjustingthe adjustable shelf assembly of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] The present invention provides adjustable shelf assemblies foruse with high quality furniture, such as cabinets, desks, andentertainment centers. The adjustable shelf assembly is typicallypositioned inside the furniture and is made from a wood material thathas an appearance which aesthetically matches the furniture. Theadjustable shelf assembly includes stationary and slidable shelves forthe easy placement and removal of items.

[0019] With reference now to the illustrative drawings, and particularlyto FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an adjustable shelfassembly 10, which includes columns 12, support members 14, and shelves16. The columns are typically positioned in a vertical orientation inthe inside corners of the furniture. The columns define a plurality ofnotches 18, which are described herein as column-notches. Preferably,the adjustable shelf assembly includes at least four columns that aremade from a wood material to match the furniture that they are installedinto. The support members include a shelf support 22 or a drawer slideassembly (see FIG. 7) for supporting the shelf 16. When the shelf ismounted or positioned on the shelf support or positioned adjacent to thedrawer slide assembly, the top surface of the shelf is generally flushwith the top surface of both support members supporting the shelf. Theshelf being positioned adjacent to the support member holds the supportmembers in place, and precludes the support members from disengagingfrom the column-notches when the shelf is in place. This in turneliminates the need to attach or secure the support members to thecolumns. In one embodiment, each shelf may be positioned on top of thetop surface of the support members. Also, the shelves may be secured tothe support members. In another embodiment, the shelf support may bereplaced with a drawer slide assembly that is attached to the sides ofthe support members and the sides of the shelves to engage one anotherand to horizontally slide the shelves in an inward and outward directionfor the easy placement and removal of items. The columns, supportmembers, and shelves are all made from a non-metallic material, e.g., awood material.

[0020]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the columns 12 and the supportmembers 14 of the adjustable shelf assembly of FIG. 1. The supportmembers have protrusions 20 at each of their ends which are configuredto removably engage the column-notches 18 and in this way the supportmembers are supported by the columns. When the support members areengaged to the column-notches the support members are flush with thecolumn-notches. The shelf support 22 is incorporated along the supportmember and can be embodied as a milled ledge, protruding dowel or othersupport means.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a front plan view of the column 12 of the adjustableshelf assembly 10 of FIG. 1. The column is shown in its preferredvertical upright position. The column includes a back wall 24 to preventthe support member from passing through the column-notch 18. The heightH of the column is adjusted so that the column fits vertically insidethe wood furniture. The column-notches have smooth rounded edges. Eachcolumn-notch is typically spaced a distance D from an adjacentcolumn-notch. In the preferred embodiment, D is approximately equal to 2¾ of an inch. The column has a width W, which is preferably ⅞ of aninch. The back wall 24 of the column 12 extends along the column in avertical direction. The back wall may be used to attach or secure thecolumn to the furniture and is integral with the column. That is, thecolumn is cut and carved to have the plurality of column-notches and theback wall.

[0022]FIG. 4 is a right side plan view of the column of the adjustableshelf assembly of FIG. 1. The column has a thickness T, which ispreferably ¾ of an inch. The back wall has a thickness T1, which ispreferably ¼ of an inch.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support member of theadjustable shelf assembly of FIG. 1. The adjustable shelf assemblyincludes at least two support members for each shelf. Each supportmember is configured to removably engage at least two column-notches 18and hence is supported by at least two columns. The support member has alength L, which is determined by the depth of the inside of thefurniture. The support member has a width W, which is preferably ¾ of aninch, and a height H, which is preferably 1 ½ inches. The support memberhas protrusions 20 at each end which are configured to form fit into thecolumn-notches 18. That is, each protrusion is configured to snugly fitinto the column-notch so that there is little to no vertical movement.Protrusions on the horizontal support members match the column-notchesof the vertical columns, preventing “out-board” movement, i.e., thehorizontal support members and vertical columns install from one sideonly (the inside). In the preferred embodiment, each protrusion extendsoutward approximately ½ an inch, has a thickness of approximately ½ aninch, and has smooth rounded corners configured to mate with the smoothrounded corners of the support members.

[0024]FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the support member 14 of theadjustable shelf assembly of FIG. 1. The support members include a shelfsupport 22 or has a drawer slide assembly (see FIG. 7) attached theretofor supporting the shelf 16. The shelf support 22 is positioned adistance D below a top surface 26 of the support member. The distance Dis configured to be the same as the thickness of the shelf. This allowsthe top surface of the support member to be flush with the top surfaceof the shelf. The shelf support is integral with the support member anddefines a ledge to support the shelf 16 (see also FIG. 1). The supportshelf protrudes out about ½ of an inch to support the shelf and extendsalong the support member 14. The support member has a height, which ispreferably 1½ inches.

[0025]FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of the support member 14 havinga drawer slide assembly (or typical drawer slide) 28 attached thereto.One part of the drawer slide assembly attaches to the support member 14and another part of the drawer slide assembly attaches to the side ofthe shelf 16. Preferably, one drawer slide assembly 28 is used for eachside of the shelf. Hence, there are two support members and two drawerslide assemblies for each shelf.

[0026]FIG. 8 is a simplified flow chart describing a method of adjustingthe adjustable sliding-shelf assembly of FIG. 1. At step 30, the shelfis pulled outward such that the drawer slide assembly is fully extended.Levers on each drawer slide are pressed to allow the shelf to bedetached from the support members (step 32). The support members arethen moved inward to disengage the protrusions from the column-notches(step 34). The protrusions of the support members are then moved intoother column-notches at the desired vertical position on the column sothat the supports members are at the same horizontal position (step 36).This allows the shelf to be horizontally level. The drawer slideassembly on the shelf is then aligned with the drawer slide assembly onthe support members (step 38) and the shelf is pushed or reinstalledinward toward the furniture.

[0027]FIG. 9 is a simplified flow chart describing a method of adjustingthe adjustable shelf assembly of FIG. 1. At step 40, the shelf is pulledout such that the shelf slides along the shelf support. The supportmembers are then moved inward to disengage them from the column-notches(step 42). The protrusions of the support members are then moved intothe column-notches at the desired vertical position on the column sothat the supports members are at the same horizontal position (step 44).This allows the shelf to be level. The shelf is then placed on the shelfsupport and pushed inward toward the furniture so that the supportmembers are held in place by the shelf.

[0028] It should be appreciated from the foregoing description that thepresent invention provides a fine piece of furniture having adjustableshelves that satisfy the aesthetic demands of consumers purchasing finequality furniture cabinets. This is achieved by providing aestheticallypleasing wooden components that replace the metal supports and railassemblies previously known in the art. While a particular form of theinvention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the invention.Accordingly, the invention is to be defined only by the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An adjustable shelf system configured to bepositioned inside a cabinet, the adjustable shelf system comprising: atleast four columns positioned in a vertical direction and attached tothe inside of the cabinet, each column defining at least onecolumn-notch; at least two support members, each support member havingtwo ends, each end having at least one protrusion configured toremovably engage, by horizontal movement, at least one column-notch; ashelf positioned adjacent to the at least two support members; and atleast two slider assemblies configured to horizontally slide the atleast one shelf into and out of the cabinet, each drawer slide assemblyattached to one of the at least two support members and one side of theshelf.
 2. The adjustable shelf system as defined in claim 1, wherein theat least four columns are attached to the corners of the cabinet.
 3. Theadjustable shelf system as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least fourcolumns are made of a non-metallic material.
 4. The adjustable shelfsystem as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least two support membersare made of a non-metallic material.
 5. The adjustable shelf system asdefined in claim 1, wherein each of the at least four columns includes aback wall configured to prevent each of the at least two protrusionsfrom moving through the column-notch.
 6. An adjustable shelf systemcomprising: at least two wood vertical columns, each column having atleast one column-notch; means for securing the vertical columns in placeto prevent the movement of the columns relative to one another; at leastone support member having a shelf support and two ends, each end havinga protrusion configured to removably engage, by horizontal movement, theat least one column-notch; and at least one shelf mounted on the supportshelf of the at least one support member.
 7. The adjustable shelf systemas defined in claim 6, wherein the at least two wood vertical columnsare located proximate to the corners of the at least one shelf.
 8. Theadjustable shelf system as defined in claim 6, further comprising adrawer slide assembly attached to the at least one support member andthe at least one shelf.
 9. The adjustable shelf system as defined inclaim 6, wherein the at least one support member is made of a woodmaterial.
 10. The adjustable shelf system as defined in claim 6, whereineach of the at least two wood vertical columns includes a back wallconfigured to prevent the protrusion from moving through the at leastone column-notch.
 11. A furniture cabinet with adjustable shelf systemcomprising: a furniture cabinet; at least four wood vertical columnssecured to the inside of the furniture cabinet, each column defining atleast two column-notches; at least two support members, each supportmember having a protrusion configured to removably engage, by horizontalmovement, at least one of the two column-notches; at least two sliderassemblies, each drawer slide assembly attached to one of the at leasttwo support members; and a shelf attached to the at least two sliderassemblies and configured to horizontally slide using the at least twoslider assemblies, into and out of the furniture cabinet.
 12. Thefurniture cabinet with adjustable shelf system as defined in claim 11,wherein the at least four wood vertical columns located proximate to thecorners of the furniture cabinet.
 13. The furniture cabinet withadjustable shelf system as defined in claim 11, wherein the at least twosupport members are made of a wood material.
 14. The furniture cabinetwith adjustable shelf system as defined in claim 11, wherein the atleast two support members are made of a non-metallic material.
 15. Thefurniture cabinet with adjustable shelf system as defined in claim 11,wherein each of the at least four wood vertical columns includes a backwall configured to prevent the protrusion from moving through the atleast one of the two column-notches.
 16. An adjustable shelf systemcomprising: four wood vertical columns, each column defining a pluralityof column-notches along the length of columns, each column mountedproximate to the interior corners of a furniture cabinet; two woodsupport members, each support member having two ends, each end beingconfigured with a protrusion to removably engage, by horizontalmovement, at least one of the plurality of column-notches, each supportmember supported in a horizontal position by at least two verticalcolumns, wherein the protrusion at each end of the support member isremovably engaged with one of the plurality of column-notches; twodrawer slides, each drawer slide attached to one of the two wood supportmembers; and a wood shelf having two sides, each side configured toattach to one of the two drawer slides.
 17. The adjustable shelf systemas defined in claim 16, wherein each of the four wood vertical columnsincludes a back wall configured to prevent the protrusion from movingthrough at least one of the plurality of column-notches.
 18. A methodfor vertically adjusting a shelf, the method comprising: dismounting theshelf from a first and second support member; moving the first supportmember in only a horizontal direction to disengage a protrusion on thefirst support member from a corresponding column-notch defined by afirst vertical column; relocating the first support member to a desireddifferent level along the first vertical column by engaging theprotrusion on the first support member with the correspondingcolumn-notch, at the desired level, of the first vertical column; movingthe second support member in only a horizontal direction to disengage aprotrusion on the second support member from a correspondingcolumn-notch defined by a second vertical column; relocating the secondsupport member to a desired different level along the second verticalcolumn by engaging the protrusion on the second support member with thecorresponding column-notch, at the desired level, of the second verticalcolumn; and mounting the shelf on the first and second support members.19. The method for vertically adjusting a shelf as defined in claim 18,further comprises attaching a drawer slide assembly to the first andsecond support members.
 20. The method for vertically adjusting a shelfas defined in claim 19, wherein mounting the shelf on the first andsecond support members includes attaching the shelf to the drawer slideassembly.